Sprint has two phones capable of using its 4G WiMAX network -- the EVO 4G and the just-launched Epic 4G. T-Mobile has no current phones compatible with its 3.5G HSPA+ network, but will soon get its first, the G2 Android smart phone. (Source: Sprint)

Next gen coverage is reaching more users

Fourth
generation wireless technology (4G) offers faster data transmission
speeds which is critical to smartphones or computers using tethering
to access the internet.

This week Sprint, the third largest
carrier in the U.S., announced that three
more cities are covered by its 4G network. The
additions to the official coverage list are Boston, MA; Daytona
Beach, FL; and Providence, RI. With the additions, Sprint
now covers over 40 million people in approximately
40 large U.S. cities.

Sprint is betting on the 4G
tech WiMAX. Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile have all
pledged to support a rival technology -- LTE -- though only Verizon
has begun
to implement an LTE test network. Sprint says it won't
rule out developing an LTE network at some point, but for now thinks
WiMAX is the superior tech.

Sprint has finally got its
act together and released a pair of 4G-capable phones. Its
HTC EVO
4Gwas the first 4G phone to hit. Now the Epic
4G is offered as well, giving buyers yet another option.
And Sprint also offers a 4G ready USB modem and wireless hotspot, via
a partnership with Sierra wireless.

T-Mobile, the fourth
largest carrier in the U.S. is opting for a different approach.
Instead of a direct leap to a 4G tech like LTE, its rolling out a
"3.5G" technology HSPA+ technology. HSPA stands for
High-Speed Packet Access, and HSPA+ combines the advances of HSDPA
(faster packet downloads) and HSUPA (faster uploads).

The
company claims HSPA+ offers
"4G-like" speeds. While some (namely
AT&T) take issue with these claims, the tech is much faster
than 3G and T-Mobile is rolling it out at a more rapid speed than
Sprint or Verizon's 4G rollout.

Of course there's one minor
problem -- the company currently has no HSPA+ phones. The first
to land will be the Android
G2.

But for those with T-Mobile wireless modems, they can
now get HSPA+ speeds in nine
new cities -- Boston, MA; Erie, PA; Fresno, CA; Palm Springs, CA;
San Diego, CA; Miami, FL; Richmond, VA; Spokane, WA; or Topeka,
KS.

Neville Ray, chief network officer for T-Mobile USA
comments, "Our new network offers today’s available 4G speeds
to more people than any other wireless network in the country and
we’re not done yet. We are now on pace to more than double
our HSPA+ footprint – reaching more than 200 million people by this
year – with plans to offer 42Mbps theoretical speeds in 2011."

Its
obvious there is demand for 3.5G and 4G technologies. What's
frustrating is that while Sprint, T-Mobile and others charge ahead
with their deployment, there still are relatively few compatible
handsets (or none in T-Mobile's case).

"There's no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance." -- Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer